Ambient air THz source shines brightA major frontier in strong field laser physics and nonlinear optics is the interaction of powerful terahertz (THz) pulses with matter. A plethora of scientific challenges and applications are presently under study, like table-top electron acceleration, THz-enhanced attosecond pulse generation and strong electric and magnetic THz field interactions with matter.

FORTH-IESL Researchers explain how disorder in tiny crystals enables heat-therapeutic systemsA new research study at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL) of FORTH finds that minute crystals, many thousand times smaller than a particle of dust, when they are dressed by the right kind of imperfections, adjust their electronic properties to favorably convert energy into heat, an important attribute for potential use in smart materials for energy, health, sensors etc.

A new icy planet detected in our nearest exoplanetary systemStrong indications for the existence of a second planet in orbit around Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun, have been recently unveiled by an international team of scientists.

New scientific discovery by researchers at FORTH DNA damage triggers metabolic reprogramming, leading to aging Inborn defects in DNA repair mechanisms are associated with cancer, aging but also complex metabolic and endocrine disorders. Integrity of the genome is critical for normal cellular function but the DNA is continually challenged by intrinsic and extrinsic genotoxic factors. To counteract DNA damage, cells have evolved DNA repair mechanisms ensuring that the genome remains functionally intact and is faithfully transmitted to progeny. Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a major DNA repair mechanism that cells employ to remove a wide class of bulky, DNA-distorting lesions from the genome. The importance of NER defects in man is illustrated by rare syndromes that either show increased cancer predisposition or dramatic features of accelerated aging, including depletion of fat depots. However, with the exception of cancer and aging, the links between defects in NER and the rapid onset of developmental defects in humans are not well understood.